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383 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2018
Ah, this book....this book...I hate it with the magnitude of a thousand suns
*Spoiler Alert*
You see, the problem I had with this plot is that from the outset Katy seemed predisposed to having an affair even though she believed herself in love with, Gavin, her husband; except, what I do know is that a woman in love will hardly pay notice to another man’s "mesmerizing eyes" let alone flirt with him. So for her to land in Baghdad and then on the very first night notice Briggs and his “honey colored eyes”. Dafu@k is that?
Oh, Scottie. This woman, this silly selfish insincere delusional woman was a joke, and the further I read, the more I wondered what I was missing. All I saw was a bunch of manufactured and contrived nonsense.
Can you imagine being held a prisoner of war then witnessing the horrifying beheading of a fellow soldier and friend, and still have time to think the above? This book is a disgrace to actual POWs who sacrificed ALL for their kin and country. And to distil it to these two immature, ridiculous, hormonal teen-adults, is insulting.
How did they go from "hi, nice to meet you" to being soulmates? They hardly spent time together (pre-captivity), knew very little about each other, and even while in captivity their conversations were trivial and inconsequential. Again, I ask, how did this LOVE become epic so quickly? Because all I saw was a lot of telling and no showing. The authors wrote all these flowery pretty words with nothing to substantiate the "epic love". Arghhhh....
Oh my gawd....I eye-rolled so much my eyes nearly fell into my brain. What a load of horse manure.
Ultimately, by placing the characters in a war situation, and considering the atrocities they experienced, I know the overriding sentiment from readers runs on the same end of a spectrum, mostly tears and "feels", but as far as I'm concerned, this actually makes the "love story" farcical, disingenuous, and manipulative.
“I know you, Scottie. . .” His voice breaks as he shakes his head in disbelief. “I know you.”
There are only two things in life I’m sure of. My love of this country and my love for you.
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Locked in our gaze, everything else disappears. I see the pain and fear leave her eyes. They’re replaced with trust, with a connection so powerful it steals my breath. We’re no longer in this bunker. There’s no pain. No torture. We’ve drifted off to a place that’s ours alone.
She’s all that matters. As long as she makes it back to her little boy in one piece, and as long as I can see her smile again, I can live with whatever hand I’m dealt.
She’s finally home, and I’m still living in the headspace we were in when she left. Not only are we not on the same page anymore, we’re reading completely different books.
Together, we breathe the ultimate sigh of relief, and as our climax ripples between us, our eyes never part. Ocean blue meets amber sunset. And it’s beautiful.
It’s healing.
It’s life-altering.
It’s inevitable
Thank you to all the soldiers in the world for their service so that we can live free and in peace.





"I think I hate you a little."



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She’s handed my heart back to me, and I’m unsure of how I’ll handle its new broken rhythm.

There are only two things in life I’m sure of: my love of this country and my love for you, only one can I do anything about.
There is nothing gentle about his kiss. This is passion, doused in kerosene and set on fire. It’s a declaration of war, and I’m nowhere near ready for the feel of it, but I take it all as he hungrily sweeps my mouth with his tongue.




“Run far and fast, dance that sexy dance, have that second baby. Smile, Scottie. Lighten up, tell jokes, live a long and happy life, for me.”
Love is supposed to be enough. It’s not supposed to rip you to fucking shreds.
Of all the things loving her has taught me, I know this much to be the truth: even when love is convoluted, it’s real.
“Trust me?”
Her eyes widen slightly, but she answers without hesitation, a beaming smile on her face.
“Always.”
“Still love me?”
“Forever.”







“Infantry?” Adrenaline junkie. “I like to be the first pretty face those ugly bastards see.” The way his entire face lights up with his smile tells me that he genuinely loves what he does, and I have to respect him for that. Maybe I judged him too soon."
“ I can’t help but smile. He’s the perfect picture of an American soldier: strong, virile, and confident, with a healthy dose of cocky.

“You won’t talk to me, you won’t let me in, you don’t want my help, and now I can’t touch you?”
“He’s losing his patience, and I came home without any. I’m the problem, and that’s the hardest part. Our marriage was completely different before I was deployed. Army spouses deserve fucking medals.”


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“All too often I’m reminded just how short life is, and because of you, I’ll die both soldier and thief.”
“For now, my heart is the reckless navigator, and I, a reluctant passenger, unable to escape the way I love him.”
“How much can a heart handle in one lifetime? I’m pretty sure I’ll never know the exact answer to that question, but the scars that mar mine make me hate the fucker for continuing to beat…”
“…when I went back, it felt like a house, no more than that. Like a life that belonged to someone else, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t get it right. I’m like the corner piece to a puzzle, trying to force into the center, and no matter how I try to manipulate myself, I just don’t fit.”
“It was only in breaths we shared together that we found relief. It wasn’t through longing or passion that we discovered our unbreakable bonds; it was through love and loyalty.”
“because of you I finally know what lonely feels like.”

“Trauma creates change you don’t choose.
Healing is about creating change you do choose.”
-Michelle Rosenthal
“You were destined to be a part of my life. You’ve changed me. No matter where this journey takes us, when I close my eyes, it will be your face I see. When I breathe my last breath, your name will be on my lips. I need you to know that – for you to know how incredible you really are.”
“There are only two things in life I’m sure of: my love of this country and my love for you…”
